Reinforcing ear for handle bails



Jan. 10, 1950 R. G. CURTIS 2,494,507

REINFORCING EAR FOR HANDLE BAILS Filed Nov. 18, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N V EN TOR.

Razz/lewd 6. Curtis BY $2 WM ATTORNEYS Jan. 10, 1950 R. G. CURTIS 2,494,507

REINFORCING EAR FOR HANDLE BAILS Filed Nov. 18, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

Rogglazzd Curtis ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 10, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REINFORCING EAR FOR HANDLE BAILS Rowland G. Curtis, Dover, 011m Application November 18, 1948, Serial No. 60,643

8 Claims. 1

The invention relates to ears for attaching handle bails to buckets, pails, cans, coal buckets and the like, and more particularly to an ear which reinforces and strengthens the bead or rim of the utensil to which it is attached.

Under present practice the bail is attached to a bucket and the like by means of a pair of ears riveted to the bucket, at opposite sides, and extending above the rim portion thereof. These ears are usually formed of sheet metal stampings, although in some cases forged ears or cast malleable ears are used.

The stamped sheet metal ears are easily bent and damaged from use, and owing to their construction and shape they greatly detract from the appearance of the finished bucket or other utensil.

While the forged and malleable ears have a better appearance, and are much stronger and less likely to be damaged, than the stamped sheet metal ears, the cost of producing them is about twice that of the sheet metal ears. Furthermore, all three types 'of such ears form undesirable projections upon the sides of the buckets.

In an effort to overcome some of the above objections, attempts have been made to form the ears for the bail from integral loops in the wire bead at the rim of the pail, such as disclosed in Barnett Patent No. 1,232,181, dated July 3, 1917, but such construction has not proven very satisfactory, as it not only detracts from the appearance of the bucket or other article, but is dangerous in that it leaves sharp edges of the sheet metal bucket exposed, and also that there is no reinforcement for the loops of the wire to which the bail is connected.

The object of the present invention is to produce a simple, inexpensive and rugged car which does not form any projections at the sides of the bucket; which reinforces the wire bead and the portions of the bucket to which it is attached; which leaves no exposed raw edges of metal and which can be produced and attached to the bucket at a fraction of the cost of the types of ears now in general use for this purpose.

Another object is to provide an ear which is attached to the bucket without the use of rivets or other separate fastening means.

A further object is to provide a sheet metal car which is formed over and around a loop in the wire bead at the rim of the bucket.

A still further object is to provide such an ear which is preformed in a single stamping operation, and then positioned upon the rim of the bucket and rigidly attached thereto in another forming operation, after which the ear is complete and ready for attachment of the bail in usual manner.

It is another object of the invention to provide an ear which reinforces and strengthens the longitudinal seams at opposite sides of the bucket.

Still another object is to provide such an ear which is formed over and around the loop in the wire bead and around the rim of the bucket at each side of said loop.

A further object is to provide an ear of the character referred to which has a tubular eyelet portion formed therein for receiving and pivotally attaching the adjacent end of the bail.

The above and other objects, apparent from the drawings and following description, may be attained, the above described difiiculties overcome and the advantages and results obtained, by the construction, arrangement and combinations and parts which comprise the invention, a preferred embodiment of which, illustrative of the best mode in which applicant has contemplated applying the principle, being set forth in detail in the following description, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which;

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bucket provided with the improved ears, showing a conven- V tional bail attached thereto;

Fig. 2 an elevation of a sheet metal blank from which the ear may be formed;

Fig. 3 a detached, perspective view of the preformed ear, before attachment to the bucket;

Fig. 4 a fragmentary exterior elevation of a portion of a bucket provided with a loop in the bead wire to receive the improved ear;

Fig. 5 a fragmentary interior perspective of the same portion of the bucket, showing the preformed ear positioned thereon and ready for the final forming operation;

Fig. 6 a fragmentary, exterior elevation of a portion of a bucket showing the completed ear thereon;

Fig. 7 a similar, interior elevation; and,

Fig. 8 a section on the line 8-8, Figs. 6 and 7.

Referring now more particularly to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings in which similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views, a sheet metal bucket of any conventional and well known design is indicated generally at It], the side walls thereof being shown formed of two sheets of metal, as in usual practice, connected together at their meeting edges by the conventional seams ll.

. As in usual practice the rim of the bucket is i beaded, as at 12, the usual bead wire l3 being located therein to strengthen and reinforce the bead. At diametrically opposite sides of the bucket, preferably at the seams H as shown, the bead i2 is cut away and the wire 13 is formed into an inverted U-shape loop [4, and a substantially half round cut-away portion is formed in the upper end of the bucket below said loop.

The reinforcing ear to which the invention relates, is preferably formed from a sheet metal blank, indicated generally at 16 in Fig. 2, and having a lower edge inclined downwardly from each end toward the center, as indicated at ll, and notched at the center as shown at IS.

The ends 19 of the blank are straight, and the upper edge thereof is upwardly inclined, as indicated at 20 from each end toward the rounded center 2!, and a circular central opening 22 is formed in the blank.

In the preforming operation the blank I6 is formed in dies to the shape shown in Fig. 3, the lower portion thereof being bent forwardly upon a radius 23, forming a narrow flange 24, curved downward at 25 toward the center notch IS. The upper portion of the blank is bent forward, upon a radius 26, forming the somewhat wider flange 27, curved upwardly at its center, as at 28. In this same forming operation the central aperture 22 in the blank is enlarged, as indicated at 29, and an inturned, peripheral flange 30 is formed around the same.

The preformed, partly completed article, shown in Fig. 3, is then placed upon the rim portion of the pail, or other article upon which it is to be used, as shown in Fig. 5, the peripheral flange 30 being located through the loop [4, of the bead wire l3, and the rounded cut-away portion of the pail.

In the final operation, performed by means of suitable dies, the flange 27 is bent down over the inner side of the rim of the pail, as indicated at 21a; in Figs. 1 and 7, the upwardly curved central portion 28 thereof being bent down around the inner side of the loop id, as indicated at 28c, thus clamping the reinforcing ear tightly upon the pail, forming a reinforcing for the seam H thereof, and providing the openings 29 to receive the eyes 3! of the conventional handle bail 32, as best shown in Fig. 1.

With this construction a simple, inexpensive and rigid reinforcing ear is provided, which does not have any objectionable projections thereon and which is rigid and strong so that it will not be bent or twisted in use.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle of my invention and described one embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described, the invention residing in the provision of a reinforcing ear which is formed upon and around the rim bead of a pail or the like.

I clairn:

1. An ear for the bail of a bucket and the like provided with a rim bead having a-cut-out portion therein, said ear comprising a single piece of sheet metal, an inturned flange on the lower edge of the ear fitting under the rim bead of the bucket, an inturned flange on the upper edge of the ear fitting over the top and inner side of the rim bead, there being a central-opening in the ear and an inturned peripheral flange 4 surrounding said opening and located in the cutout portion of the rim bead to receive one end of the bail.

2. An ear for the bail of a bucket and the like provided with a rim bead and a seam having a cut-out portion therein, said ear comprising a single piece of sheet metal, an inturned flange on the lower edge of the ear fitting under the rim bead of the bucket, and having a notch therein to receive the seam, an inturned flange on the upper edge of the ear fitting over the top and inner side of the rim bead, there being a central opening in the ear and an inturned peripheral flange surrounding said opening and located in the cut-out portion of the rim bead to receive one end of the ball.

3. An ear for the bail of a bucket and the like provided with a rim bead having a cut-out portion therein, said ear comprising a single piece of sheet metal, an inturned flange on the lower edge of the ear fitting under the rim head of the bucket, an inturned flange on the upper edge of the ear fitting over the top and inner side of the rim bead, the central portion of. the car being enlarged, there being a central opening in the ear and an inturned peripheral flange surroundin said opening and located in the cutout portion of the rim bead to receive one end of the bail.

4. An ear for the bail of a bucket and the like provided with a rim bead and a, seam having a cut-out portion therein, said ear comprising a single piece of sheet metal, an inturned flange on the lower edge of the ear fitting under the rim head of the bucket and having a notch therein to receive the seam, an inturned flange on the upper edge of the ear fitting over the top and inner side of the rim bead, the central portion of the ear being enlarged, there being a central opening in the ear and an inturned peripheral flange surrounding said opening and located in the cut-out portion of the rim bead vto receive one end of the bail.

5. A bucket and the like having a rim bead at its upper edge, a bead. wire in said rim bead, there being diametrically opposite cut-out portions in said bead, upwardly'curvedloops formed in said bead wire at said cut-out portions, a'sheet metal ear connected to the bucket at each cutout portion, an inturned flange on the lower edge of each ear fitting under the rim bead, an inturned flange on the upper edge of each ear fitting over the top and inner side of the rim head, there being acentral opening in each ear andlan inturned peripheral flange surrounding said opening and located withinsaidloop and cut-Out portion, and a bail havingitsendsslocatedthrough said openings.

6. A bucket and the like havinga rim bead at its upper edge, a bead wire in said .rim bead, there being diametrically opposite seams in the bucket and cut-out portions in said head, upwardly curved loops formedjin said bead wire at said cut-out portions, a sheet metal ear connected to the bucket at each cut-out portion, an inturned flange on the lower edge'of eachear fitting under the rim bead and having a notch therein to receive the seam, an inturned flange on the upper edge of each ear'fitting over thetop and inner side of the'rim bead, there being-a central opening ineach ear andan inturnedperipheral flange surrounding said opening and located within said loop and cut-out portion, and a bail having its ends located through said openings,

'7. A bucket and the like having a rim bead at its upper edge, a bead wire in said rim bead, there being diametrically opposite cut-out po1=- tions in said bead, upwardly curved loops formed in said bead Wire at said cut-out portions, a sheet metal ear connected to the bucket at each cutout portion, an inturned flange on the lower edge of each ear fitting under the rim bead, an inturned flange on the upper edge of each ear fitting over the top and inner side of the rim bead and over said loop, there being a central opening in each ear and an inturned peripheral flange surrounding said opening and located within said loop and cut-out portion, and a bail having its ends located through said openings.

8. A bucket and the like having a rim bead at its upper edge, a bead wire in said rim bead, there being diametrically opposite seams in the bucket 6 and cut-out portions in said bead, upwardly curved loops formed in said bead Wire at said outout portions, a sheet metal ear connected to the bucket at each cut-out portion, an inturned flange on the lower edge of each ear fitting under the rim bead and having a notch therein to receive the seam, an inturned flange on the upper edge of each ear fitting over the top and inner side of the rim bead and over said loop, there being a central opening in each ear and an inturned peripheral flange surrounding said opening and located within said loop and cut-out portion, and a bail having its ends located through said openings.

ROWLAND G. CURTIS.

No references cited. 

